Bethany Roberts

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Bethany Roberts
Born (1949-09-06) September 6, 1949 (age 74)
Wallingford, Connecticut
Other namesBarbara Snow Beverage
OccupationChildren's author
Years active1984–2009
Notable work
SpouseRobert Beverage
Children2 daughters

Barbara Snow Beverage, who uses the pen name Bethany Roberts, (born September 6, 1949) is an American children's author, known for her series of picture books informally marketed as Holiday Mice.

Contents

Personal life and education

Roberts was born in Wallingford, Connecticut. [1] [2] : 153  She aspired to become a writer from the age of six, [1] and wrote her first stories at age eight; [3] she was also a "neighborhood storyteller" and "a bit of a[n outdoors] tomboy" while growing up. [3]

Roberts graduated from Lyman Hall High School, then attended Bates College and received a degree in early childhood education from Southern Connecticut State University. [1] [2] : 153 

She is married to Robert Beverage and has two daughters: Krista and Melissa. [2] : 153  In 1994, she lived in Hamden, Connecticut. [1]

Career

"I write about things I like, things that are important to me—warm cozy families, friendships, seasons and holidays, furry little animals. There isn't much that I like better than writing."

Bethany Roberts,as quoted from her website [2] : 153 

Roberts was a teacher and children's librarian before her writing career began. [2] : 153  She taught children's literature at the Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury. [1]

Her first book, Waiting-for-Spring Stories , came out in 1984. [1] [2] : 153  From the mid-1990s to mid-2000s, she and illustrator Doug Cushman collaborated on the informally named Holiday Mice picture-book series, [4] [5] which featured the title family of four—two children plus their mother and father. [6]

As an animal lover, Roberts has included animal characters in many of her works, stating that they were "multicultural", highly relatable, and flexible in their use. [2] : 153  "Many of [her] story ideas," according to Gale's Something About the Author, "are generated from words that 'sound right' together, while others are inspired by her own experiences or by research." [2] : 154 

Accolades

In 2001, Roberts' Gramps and the Fire Dragon was honored as a Children's Choice selection by the International Reading Association and Children's Book Council. [2] : 153  [7]

Bibliography

Waiting-for series

Holiday Mice series

The Holiday Mice books are illustrated by Doug Cushman and published by Clarion.

Standalone books

Notes

  1. ↑ Something About the Author lists a 1997 date predating the official publication. [2]

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Fourth of July Mice! is a 2004 children's picture book written by Bethany Roberts and illustrated by Doug Cushman, part of the team's Holiday Mice series. The book, about a family of mice celebrating U.S. Independence Day, was published to positive reviews.

Waiting-for-Spring Stories is the first book by Connecticut children's author Bethany Roberts, published in 1984. It was also one of the first works to feature illustrations by Louisiana artist William Joyce. The book is a collection of seven miniature stories told by a rabbit father during wintertime. Released to critical acclaim, it became the first of three titles in the informally named Waiting-for Series.

Waiting-for-Christmas Stories is a 1994 children's book written by Bethany Roberts and illustrated by Sarah Stapler. The last in the informally named Waiting-for Series, it follows the same format as the first two titles, this time with a holiday flavor. As with the two previous titles, reviews for this instalment were positive. Starting in 1995, publisher Houghton Mifflin would bring out more holiday-themed books by Roberts under the Holiday Mice banner.

Gramps and the Fire Dragon is a 2000 book by children's author Bethany Roberts, with illustrations by Melissa Iwai. The book, which tells of a grandson and grandfather who must escape a dragon that emerged from the flames of their fireplace, was published to positive reviews.

Birthday Mice! is a 2002 children's book written by Bethany Roberts and illustrated by Doug Cushman. Part of the informally marketed Holiday Mice series, it received mixed reviews.

Follow Me! is a 1998 children's book by Bethany Roberts, with illustrations by Diane Greenseid. The tale of an octopus family who meets their grandrelative, it received mixed reviews alongside criticism over Greenseid's art and style.

Cat Skidoo is a 2004 book by Bethany Roberts, with illustrations by R. W. Alley. About two kittens who cause havoc exploring their home surroundings, it received positive reviews.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pettit, John (December 11, 1994). "Wallingford native reads her stories at library". Record-Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. p. B3. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023– via Google News Archive.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kumar, Lisa, ed. (2010). "Roberts, Bethany 1949–". Something About the Author . Vol. 202. Gale Research. pp. 153–155. ISBN   978-1-4144-3499-5 . Retrieved July 5, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 Peacock, Scot, ed. (2002). "Roberts, Bethany". Something About the Author . Vol. 133. Gale Research. p. 179. ISBN   0-7876-5205-9 . Retrieved July 8, 2023– via Internet Archive.
  4. 1 2 Fletcher, Connie (May 2004). "Review: 'Fourth of July Mice!'" . Booklist . Vol. 100, no. 18. p. 1626. ISSN   0006-7385 . Retrieved July 5, 2023– via ProQuest.
  5. 1 2 Zaleski, Jeff (May 3, 2004). "Children's Notes: A Red-White-and-Blue Parade" . Publishers Weekly . Vol. 251, no. 18. pp. 194–195. ISSN   0000-0019 . Retrieved July 5, 2023– via ProQuest.
  6. ↑ Fowler, Bonnie (June 27, 2004). "Children's Books: Flag-waving tales will make for amusing holiday reading" . Winston-Salem Journal . p. A18. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Children's Choices for 2001: Young Readers: 'Gramps and the Fire Dragon'" . The Reading Teacher . International Reading Association/Wiley. 55 (2): 178. October 2001. ISSN   0034-0561. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023– via JSTOR.
  8. ↑ Albert Whitman & Company (November 1992). "Albert Whitman & Company's Fall Harvest of Books 1992 (Advertisement)". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books . 46 (3): End Matter. ISSN   0008-9036. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023– via HathiTrust.
  9. ↑ Poe, Brenda (July 11, 2003). "Woman enjoys working for kids" . Santa Maria Times . Santa Maria, California. p. C6. Archived from the original on July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Knickerbocker, Anne (June 2005). "Review: 'Ogre Eats Everything'" . School Library Journal . Vol. 51, no. 6. p. 126. ISSN   0362-8930 . Retrieved July 9, 2023– via ProQuest.
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